Wildcats Punch Ticket to NCAA Championships

WEST LAFAYETTE, Ind. – No. 11 Arizona Men’s Golf punched its ticket to the NCAA Championships for a second time in three seasons on Wednesday, finishing the NCAA West Lafayette Regional in fourth place at 3-under par. The Wildcats battled through rainy conditions throughout the day at the Birck Boilermaker Golf Complex to post a 6-over round and stay ten strokes above the cutline. Wednesday’s top-five finish gives Arizona its 29^th NCAA Championships appearance in school history.

“Today was a great display of perseverance from our entire lineup through some difficult weather conditions, and I couldn’t be prouder to see this group of guys advance to the NCAA Championships,” said head coach Jim Anderson. “The resiliency and focus our team showed all week has been our calling card throughout the season. To be able to rely on it on the big stage of NCAA postseason shows you how special this group is. We set out in August with the goal of a national championship, and now we have taken another big step towards it.”

Senior Sam Sommerhauser considered his steady week at Purdue University with a 2-over round on Wednesday to post the Wildcats’ best score of the week at 2-under par that put him in a tie for 14^th place. Sommerhauser finished tied for third in par-3 scoring out of a field of 78 golfers.  His play also marked his best career finish at NCAA Regionals, surpassing his 20^th place performance in Arizona’s win of the NCAA Bryan Regional in 2022.

Junior Tiger Christensen carded the team’s lowest round of the day at even par, which included an eagle on the 608-yard, par-5 16^th hole. He finished his week at 1-under and in a tie for 18^th.

Arizona finished one shot ahead of fifth-place New Mexico to advance and maintained a double-digit stroke advantage over San Diego State and Mississippi State who both finished below the cutline. The Wildcats are one of only four Pac-12 programs to move on from NCAA Regionals alongside Utah, Cal and Stanford.  

The Wildcats pursuit of their second national championship will continue on Friday, May 24 at the NCAA Championships at Omni La Costa Spa & Resort in Carlsbad, California.